The Mining Insider

Today on The Mining Insider: 1. US-Iran Hormuz Ceasefire Deal — US and Iranian negotiators reached tentative agreement on a 60-day memorandum of understanding: Iran removes mines within 30 days; US lifts naval blockade of Iranian ports and provides limited sanctions waivers on Iranian oil sales; framework opens pathway to nuclear talks. Trump had not yet approved as of May 29. Iran's Tasnim News s...

Today on The Mining Insider: 1. Japan Copper Smelter Consolidation — JX Advanced Metals, Mitsui Kinzoku, Marubeni, and Mitsubishi Materials signed a definitive agreement on May 28, 2026 to consolidate copper operations under Pan Pacific Copper. Mitsubishi Materials splits off its concentrate purchasing and refined product sales into PPC via an absorption-type company split. Transaction effective O...

Today on The Mining Insider: 1. LNG Tankers Exit Hormuz — For the first time since late February, LNG tankers are transiting the Strait of Hormuz. ADNOC's Umm Al Ashtan reappeared northwest of Muscat on May 23, loaded for India. Two Qatar LNG tankers have also cleared the strait. A US-Iran 60-day ceasefire extension is reportedly being finalized — Iran would remove mines, allow unrestricted passag...

In today's episode of The Mining Insider, Logan Ore covers four major developments shaping the global mining industry: 1. US Strikes Iran Near the Strait as Deal Talks Continue — US and Israeli jets struck Iranian vessels attempting to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz and targeted missile sites near Bandar Abbas. Secretary of State Rubio confirmed the strikes and said the Strait must remain open...

In today's episode of The Mining Insider, Logan Ore covers four major developments shaping the global mining industry: 1. Iran Deal Hopes Send Oil Below $100 — President Trump says a US-Iran framework to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is largely negotiated. Brent crude falls 4.6% to $98.80/bbl, WTI drops 4.7% to $92/bbl. The Strait has been effectively closed since February 28, cutting ~20% of global...

In today's episode of The Mining Insider, Logan Ore covers three major developments in global mining: 1. China's Coal Mine Rescue Enters Day Three — The official death toll at the Liushenyu mine in Shanxi province stands at 82, with 2 miners still unaccounted for. Reconnaissance robots have been deployed after toxic gases blocked human rescue teams from going deeper. Authorities confirm the operat...

In today's episode of The Mining Insider, Logan Ore covers four major developments shaping the global mining industry: 1. China's Worst Coal Disaster in 16 Years — A gas explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in Shanxi province kills at least 90 miners, with 9 still missing. The mine had been flagged by China's National Mine Safety Administration for severe safety hazards, including elevated gas lev...

May 22, 2026 | Host: Logan Ore | Runtime: ~12 minutes Today on The Mining Insider: 1. EXIM BANK $2.9B IDAHO ANTIMONY LOAN — Export-Import Bank unanimously approves 13-year senior secured loan to Perpetua Resources (Nasdaq: PPTA) for Stibnite gold-antimony project in Valley County, Idaho. Structure: $2.4B upfront facility + capitalized interest + exposure fee = $2.9B total. Rate: long-dated Treasur...

May 21, 2026 | Host: Logan Ore | Runtime: ~11 minutes Today on The Mining Insider: 1. SOUTH CROFTY FINANCING SECURED — Cornish Metals (AIM: TIN) announces £52M credit facilities from National Wealth Fund (28.45% shareholder, £35M) and Vision Blue Resources (29.08% shareholder, US$22.75M). Six-month term, 13% p.a. interest compounding daily. Up to £16M earmarked for bond escrow required as conditio...

May 20, 2026 | Host: Logan Ore | Runtime: ~11 minutes Today on The Mining Insider: 1. CORE LITHIUM RESTARTS FINNISS — Core Lithium resumes blasting and excavation at its Finniss project in the Northern Territory, 90 km south of Darwin, after a two-year price-driven shutdown. The restart is backed by a $170M initial investment and a planned $120M equity raise. Lithium prices are at ~$4,200/tonne. F...

Today on The Mining Insider: Agnico Eagle this morning formally approved the Hope Bay investment decision — the largest gold mine development in Nunavut's history. Development capital: approximately $2.4 billion. Expected annual gold production: 400,000 to 435,000 ounces. Initial mine life: 11 years, with approximately 4.5 million ounces total. Production targeted from 2030; full design throughput...

Today on The Mining Insider: J.P. Morgan revised its 2026 average gold price forecast sharply lower on Monday, cutting from $5,708/oz to $5,243 — a reduction of $465/oz. The bank cited low COMEX futures open interest, contracted trading volume, subdued managed fund positions, and limited ETF inflows. Gold has fallen 14% since the onset of the US-Iran conflict in late February. The sequence: the Ho...

Today on The Mining Insider: President Trump wrapped up his two-day summit with Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday and departed without a confirmed rare earth agreement. China's export controls on rare earths, heavy rare earth processing, and battery mineral precursors — imposed in early April as trade leverage — remain in place. A short-term bilateral arrangement was reportedly "still in effect" a...

Today on The Mining Insider: Gold fell sharply on Friday, dropping more than 3% to $4,530 per ounce — its lowest since mid-March — as April US consumer prices rose 3.8% year-over-year, wholesale inflation hit its fastest pace since 2022, and bond yields surged globally. Markets have now fully priced out Fed rate cuts in 2026 and are placing better than 50% probability on a rate hike by January. Th...

Today on The Mining Insider: Argentina's government approved two major mining projects under its RIGI large-investment incentive program on Thursday. The Cauchari-Olaroz lithium expansion, backed by China's Ganfeng Lithium Group and Lithium Argentina AG, will invest $1.24 billion to add 45,000 tonnes per year of lithium carbonate equivalent capacity. The San Jorge copper project in Mendoza will in...

Today on The Mining Insider: Agnico Eagle has announced a C$14 billion (~US$10 billion) investment in Ontario gold operations by 2030, including C$2 billion for the Detour Lake underground expansion and the Upper Beaver gold-copper project. It is one of the largest private sector mining capital commitments in Ontario's history. The Metals Company signed a commercial agreement with Dutch offshore c...

Today on The Mining Insider: The April Consumer Price Index came in at 3.8 percent year-over-year — one tenth above consensus — driven by energy costs surging 17.9 percent annually. Gold fell below $4,700 an ounce after the release and Fed rate hike odds climbed to roughly 30 percent by year-end per CME Group. For miners, the print confirms input cost pressures are not easing. Copper briefly touch...

Today on The Mining Insider: Fertilizer giant Mosaic has pulled nearly two million tonnes of US phosphate production off the market and withdrawn its full-year output forecast, citing runaway input costs driven by the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The company posted a Q1 net loss of $258 million — well below the $71.5 million profit analysts had expected. Meanwhile, the US Bureau of Lab...

Today on The Mining Insider: Barrick Mining released Q1 2026 results before market open — one of its strongest quarters on record. Gold production of 719,000 oz beat guidance of 640,000–680,000 oz by 5.7%. Three drivers: Nevada Gold Mines strong underground performance, Veladero higher throughput/grades, and Loulo-Gounkoto in Mali ramping faster than guided. Revenue $5.22B (+67% YoY). Adjusted EPS...

Today on The Mining Insider: The week ended with Iran still reviewing a 14-point US peace proposal submitted through Pakistani intermediaries. Trump said Friday the conflict "is not over yet" and the US Navy fired on Iranian ships attempting to breach the Hormuz blockade, pushing oil prices higher. Gold closed above $4,700/oz and silver above $80/troy oz. For miners, the equation is direct: Hormuz...

Today on The Mining Insider: PT Freeport Indonesia has confirmed the full restart of the Grasberg Block Cave copper mine in Central Papua has been pushed to early 2028 — a full year later than prior guidance. Operations are currently running at 40-50% of capacity. The company is targeting 65% in H2 2026, 80% by mid-2027, near-full by end-2027, and full capacity in early 2028. 2026 copper guidance...

Today on The Mining Insider: Cornish Metals has closed a $210 million Nordic bond offering to fund construction of South Crofty in Cornwall, England — the highest-grade undeveloped tin deposit in the world. The six-year bonds carry a 13.5% fixed coupon and were significantly oversubscribed. CEO Don Turvey says the company expects to be fully funded and to announce a final investment decision this...

Today on The Mining Insider: Ivanhoe Mines released its Q1 2026 financial results after market close on Wednesday. Kamoa-Kakula delivered $862 million in revenue and $397 million in EBITDA — a 46% EBITDA margin — and beat the low end of its C1 cash cost guidance at $2.58 per pound, compared with guidance of $2.60 to $3.00. The headline net loss of $2 million was driven entirely by a $183 million D...

Today on The Mining Insider: Sibanye-Stillwater launched tender offers on May 6 to retire all $675 million outstanding of its 4% senior notes due 2026 — a full any-and-all offer — and up to $75 million of its 4.5% notes due 2029 at $962.50 per $1,000, funded by a new dollar-denominated bond issuance. The 2026 notes are set to settle May 15. The move is part of Sibanye's multi-year restructuring fo...

Today on The Mining Insider: Regis Resources and Vault Minerals announced a 100% all-scrip merger creating a combined company with a pro forma market cap of approximately A$10.7 billion (US$7.67 billion) — Australia's third-largest primary ASX-listed gold producer. The merged group will produce over 700,000 ounces per year from five Western Australian assets, entering life debt-free with A$1.9 bil...